Reward offered for info about poached antelope

Local game warden Jim Hobbs is asking for help from the public that will help the Wyoming Game and Fish Department apprehend the individual or individuals who illegally shot an antelope outside of hunting season on Sunday sometime before noon.

Hobbs reports that the animal was shot multiple times with a 22-caliber weapon through the chest and lungs and then through the head on BLM land near the junction of the road to Georgia Pacific and Spence Oil Field Road. The area is located between Lovell and Greybull. Hobbs described the killing as a thrill kill.

“This normally doesn’t happen just one time with a thrill killing like this, so people need to be extra vigilant and report anything unusual they see going on in the area,” said Hobbs. “Once something like this happens, it’s not unusual to see it happen again in the same area.”

The young buck was estimated to be around 3 years old. His antlers were not fully developed. His body was left to rot at the location.

“Because of this act, other hunters have lost their opportunity to hunt this animal legally,” said Hobbs. “We lost the opportunity to see this animal fully mature.”

Wyoming Game and Fish is offering a reward up to $500 for information leading to the apprehension of the individual or individuals responsible for killing the animal. Tips can be anonymous, said Hobbs.

If convicted, the individuals found responsible could lose hunting privileges in more than 30 states for a specified period of time and can also be fined.

“If anyone saw anything out of the ordinary on Sunday in the area, they need to report it to us as soon as they can,” said Hobbs. “This is all of our wildlife and we need to protect it when we can.”

Hobbs said that Game and Fish has a slim chance of catching the person or persons responsible for this act without help from the public.

“This is especially sad in an area like this where we don’t have a ton of antelope to hunt legally like they do in some parts of the state,” said Hobbs.

Any one with information about the poaching or who may have seen suspicious activity in that area is asked to call Hobbs at 548-7310.